NAVAL PARITY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 August 1929, Page 6

NAVAL PARITY

AGREEMENT EXPECTED

(United Press Association.—By Electric

Telegraph.—Copyright.)

WASHINGTON, August 24. Naval equality qs between the United States and ureat Britain is expected, by informed quarters here, to be attained between the years 1934 and 1940.

The two nations have already agreed upon the principle for a parity, and one of the most important questions that is now being discussed between General Hawes and Prime Minister MacDonald is that of determining in what year naval equality would be best. Progress is being made in working out the principles of the whole question, but not completed and not discussed.

A hopeful attitude as to a settlement is, expressed generally here’, and an agreement on the 'basic factors is expected as' a possibility within a matter of weeks.

AMERICA GIVES IN.

CRUISER QUESTIONS

LONDON, August 24

It is understood - that in' the course | *of the Dawes-MacDon aid conversa-i-tions, it-was'indicated' on behalf of : President Hoover that the United ' States has considerably..: modified its ideas regarding. Britain’s .demands for cruisers for policing the seas. Apparently the United Suites’ new priheiple of parity has been admitted as being willing to Britain' having / 'whatever small cruisers she considers necessary adequately. ,to protect Empire trade routes. It was also indicated that objection will no longer be raised concerning merchantmen as potential warships." These modifications arc of considerable importance, as the deadlock regarding cruisers was principally responsible for the failure of the Geneva conference. . / "

RUGBY, August 23. Mr Ramsay MacDonald to-day received the ' Freedom of Elgin, the capital of his native County. General Dawes, American Ambassador, who was present at the ceremony, referred to his conversations with Mi’ Ramsay MacDonald last week. One should remember, lie said, that" although naval disarmament negotiations have advanced satisfactorily, they might not .necessarily have reached the! stage where they could usefully be discussed in detail by the Press. The arbiter of the ultimate fate of this effort would be the public sentiment of the -respective countries, and time must be taken to reduce to their very simiplest .terms, before iinv: phblic discussion of the problems involved, so that the ' average man could better understand what it was all about. The problem must be mastered so that its final solution was clear and’ satisfactory to the average man. Even Governments might come to preliminary agreements, but Parliaments and Congresses might not ratify those agreements in the end. It must be realised that one unforgivable thing would be inadequate -preparation for the proposed naval conference.

SUPREMACY IDEA

VANCOUVER, Auglist 23,

At Edmonton, in a speech at a civic ibanquet in his honour, Rt. Hon. Mr Winston Churchill declared that Great Britain sought nothing but peace-iu, the world. Referring to the naval discussions with tlie United States, lie said- that he would urge his countrymen -never to put their hand to a treaty which bound Great Britain to rigid naval parity with any power in the world. Ho continued : “If we cannot agree, then let us disagree; blit do not build more than we require.” Tlie BritisluJtavy had 'been aggressive • against llone, and had proved a sure shield for liberty during the Great War. NEARLY BANKRUPT. ' GERMAN INSURANCE COY. BERLIN, August 24. -. Tlie 1 principal, creditors have granted the Frankfort General Insurance Company a three months’ moratorium. The company’s losses are estimated at two and a half millions sterling.